Welcome to this reading of Hexagram 23 from the I Ching and it's entitled Splitting Apart or Stripping.
As we prepare ourselves to receive this transmission,
Let's turn to the breath to assist us to prepare the space,
Prepare our heart and mind for receiving.
So please inhale or exhale just as you need to.
Maybe you feel you need a big lung full of air or maybe you feel you need to let all your air out or perhaps you feel you need to soften your breath.
Play with your breath and then bring it to a gentle steady pace,
Flowing comfortably in,
Comfortably out.
Comfortably in,
Comfortably out.
And feeling the body's muscles relaxing,
Opening.
Feel the facial muscles relax,
Any tightness.
Ease it out with an exhale and a letting go.
And now let's set the intention to receive the transmission in a way that is in alignment with the highest good for all,
Which includes you.
If it feels right,
You can place your hands over heart center and breathe that intention of trust into your heart,
Knowing that the way that you hear this message,
Your interpretation,
Is in alignment with you and your life right now.
Then exhale that intention out,
Trusting that it is unfolding just perfectly.
As we now move our attention to the symbology of this hexagram involving two trigrams,
And of the six lines in this hexagram,
There are five yin.
From the bottom,
The first five are yin,
With the yang on top.
These yin lines,
Which are open lines,
Sometimes called broken lines,
They show this space between,
Hence the title of this hexagram,
Splitting Apart.
So we see these short lines on the left and on the right with the passage between the middle,
A splitting between them.
Is there any area in your life right now where it feels like something is splitting apart?
The other title is Stripping.
So we can also think of and ask ourselves,
What in my life right now needs to be stripped away?
Perhaps it's an old habit,
Something that's not working anymore.
The elements in this trigram are mountain above earth.
Those are the primary ones,
And the two nuclear inner trigrams are earth and earth.
So a lot of yin,
Deep,
And reflective qualities are called for.
Turning inwards to see what do we need to get rid of to transform.
Transform difficult circumstances,
Transform that which may be threatening or unbalanced.
Because looking at these five yin lines with one yang on top,
We see immediately the imbalance.
The I Ching says,
This situation is unbalanced and lacks harmony.
You should refrain from action until the position improves.
This is a very earthly request to be still.
And it doesn't mean doing nothing.
This is where the Wu Wei comes in.
For at this time,
It is the mindfulness,
The self-awareness that will present the necessary action at the right time.
Because of the instability of this position,
This situation,
The focus needs to be on stabilizing it.
So where do you need stability in your life?
And this could be externally,
But it can also be internally.
Are your thoughts stable?
Are you able to bring yourself to center when need be?
Or is your boat so easily rocked?
And this calls for adaptation.
Adaptation to the current and the new,
Because there is a new that is coming in.
This is what happens naturally with self-awareness.
Self-awareness is half the journey.
And then from there,
The transformation can unfold into action.
While the inner action is the inner eye,
The inner ear looking and listening inward,
And noticing of oneself that which is not healthy,
Which is not life-giving.
And maybe once it was,
And now it's not.
Or maybe it's been a destructive habit all along.
Through repetitive awareness.
And this awareness does not involve judgment or guilt.
It is the wise observer,
Your all-knowing self.
That is the part to engage with during times of self-awareness.
And through the self-awareness,
The vibration mentally,
Emotionally,
Internally,
And spiritually shifts.
And so one's energy field changes.
And when that transforms outwardly,
The changes will start to emerge as well.
And then we see this hexagram 23 transforming to hexagram 24.
23 is known as the gatekeeper.
24 is known as the groundbreaker.
And oftentimes when this hexagram shows up,
It's calling for radical transformation.
And the guidance that we hear through this wisdom is to remain calm.
And when in communication with others,
Seek a common ground.
Listen.
And listen out for those common factors.
Notice them and strengthen them.
So take heart to know that when we follow this guidance that has stood the test of time,
Then transformation will happen in alignment and in flow with the greater good for all.
Please take a minute now to contemplate those points which stood out for you.
Sometimes we feel them as resonance,
But sometimes it's their discomfort that talks to us so that we know this is what I need to take home with me.
Keep the body relaxed,
Heart soft,
Mind open.
As you remain in a position of receiving more and deeper awareness through your intuition,
Your inner knowing,
No need to try and force any thoughts or any responses.
Just simply relax and allow.
